Crate-top-holding means



May 19, 1925.

I C. LARSON CRATE TOP HOLDING MEANS Original Filed Jan. 15, 192.4

diary-076,

ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1925.

- UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN Lenson, cr 'senrn nose, rnonrna.

onsrnror-norlnrns Means.

Application filed January 15, 1924, Serial To all whom/it may concern.

Be it known that I, Cmns'riAN LARSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of alton and State of F lorida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Crate-Top-I lolding hileans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates, such as are used for the shipmentof eggs and the like and has for its object the provision of novel means for holding the top in place without the employment of nails, screws or other similar well known fastening means, the advantage being that hammering will be unnecessary, it being a frequent cause of complaint that, such hammering or nailing causes breakage of eggs shipped in the crate.

Another object is the provision of a cover holding means which is easy to place in position and lock, which is less destructive to the crates than the ordinary securing means, which is easily applicable to already existing crates, which makes a neater package, and which has the further advantage of being simple and inexpensive in manufacture.

lVith the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a crate and my cover therefor, showing the cover as detached but ready for application,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cover applied,

Figure 3 is a detail section on the line 3--3 of F igure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter A designates a crate of that type used for the shipment of eggs and 13 represents the top therefor, which top is of the same length and width as the crate so as to lit properly thereon. Ordinarily a top of this character is simply nailed onto the crate, an operation which consumes considerable time and labor and which endangers the In carrying out my invention I provide a pair of U-shaped rods which are disposable transversely of the crate, one at one end and the other at the center, and which are so arranged that they are spaced above the open top of the crate a distance No. ceases. Renewed February lo, we

equal to the'thickuessof the top or cover 13.

The ends of these rods are flattened as indicated at 11 and nailed or screwed onto the crate. It is of course to be understood that these rods areplaced in posit-ion when the crate is built, or at any rate. prior to the till ing with eggs or other commodities. The remaining end of'tlie crate isequipped with a pair of staples 12 which project beyond the sides as shown.

liIounted upon one end of the cover or top B is a plurality of securing members each formed from a single piece of sheet metal including a U-shaped portion 13 which lits over and upon the end, and each of which further includes a rolled edge 1% constituting a bearing sleeve. These securing members are fastened on the top by means of tacks or the like with the beads or bearing members 14: arranged in alignment as shown. Rotatable within these members 14. is a locking rod 15 which is formed at its ends with hooks 16 designed to engage within the staples 12.

In applying the cover, it is slid along the open top of the crate beneath the rods 10 and the hooks 16 are then engaged within the staples 12. The top is thus held firmly in position and cannot be removed except by pushing the hooks 16 out of the staples and moving the top lengthwise.

Another feature is the provision of a U- shaped arm 17 pivoted upon the top by a spring hinge 18 and adapted to engage and hold a shipping label 19, the top being provided with prongs 20 which will pierce the label or tag when the arm 17 is engaged with the label, this action preventing loss of the tag.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and easily applied holding means which will always be easy to operate and which will be not only a saver of time and labor but which will also avoid mutilation and destruction of the crate.

Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims,

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. Means for holding a cover upon a crate,

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consisting of retaining members carried by the crate and beneath which the cover is slidably engaged, staples projecting from the sides of thecrate at one end thereof, and a locking rod journaled transversely of one end of the cover and terminating in hooks engageable Within said staples.

2. Means for holding a cover upon a crate, consisting of retaining members carried by the crate and beneath which the r cover is slidably engaged, staples projecting from the sides of the crate at one end thereof, and a locking rod journaled transversely of one end of the cover and terminating in hooks engageable Within said staples, and means for supporting said rod consisting of a series of similar members each including a U- shaped portion embracing an end of the top and further including a rolled sleeve, all the sleeves being arranged in alignment and receiving said rod.

3. Means for holding a top upon a crate, comprising a pair of U-shaped rods secured upon the crate and spaced above the open top thereof in transverse relation thereto, the top being slidable between said rods and the top of the crate, a plurality of bearing members secured upon one end of the top, a locking rod rockably mounted Within said bearing members and formed at its ends with depending hooks, and keepers projecting laterally from the crate for receiving said hooks.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHRISTIAN LARSON. 

